Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-02

night, waen they crawl about 10 81 arch OF
food-frogs, slugs and feld-m1ce, when
they can get nothing better.
"Keep Bingo to neel," said Reggie. 81
hope ne won't come to grief; the hares,
and the rabbits, too, are so thick here
abouts."
"The little shower that fell this morn
ing has brought the rabbits from their
burroWs," replied Dick, who knew al
about their nature.
"Why the shower" asked his sailor
brother.
cit renders the herbsge moist and ten.
der, and then they doat on blades and
stalks of grass. Houp la" cried Dick,
"that wretched dog has pinned one, and
now he is after another"
"By Jove, If anv of the keepers are
about !" began Reggie, with some
alarm.
A rabbit lay quivering, but dead, among
the fallen leaves close by. and meantime
nothing was seen OF bob-tailed Biugo but
his rear quarters and short hind-legs, his
front me bers being buried in SANDY
hole, where be was busily engaged tear
ing out the soil IN search OF lively
rabbit, which, By cunningly slipping
backward and forward, had contrived for
brief space to clude his sharp teeth
and gain little respite from destruction.
Dick shrilly blew the golden whistle.
his recent gift from Lonsdale. Half
buried in the sand, Bingo heard it not,
but another did.
esquire Pugwssh, by Jingo!" ex-
claimed Dick, with q little aspect of
alarm, as there suddenly stood before
them swelling with wrath and vulgar i'm
portance, the wealthy city man. VINO had
recently purchased lands adjoining those
OF Rsvensbourne Hall, and had lost no
time in rendering himself obnoxious to
peaceful Sir Brisco and everyone else.
Squire Pugwssh was great preserver
of game; not that he was ga shot" him
self, but some of the admirers of his
daughter Aurora-or Miss Haroarar, as
he called her-were, or thought they
were; but all kinds of game were scarce
on his estate, as his keeper, all unknown
to him, was sleeping partner in an active
firm of poschers, who catered for the
Lesdenhan market.
Feared and hated by the peasantry and
the poor, distrusted, yet scrupulously
obeyed by his tenants and servants, the
'Squires aspect, like his wrath, was
alarming.
Squat in figure, over-fed and paunchy,
with sloping shoulders, receding chin,
and nose of no particular kind, he had
those google and protruding gray eyes
said to belong to the cockney Of three de-
scents, though recent savant, Mr.. James
Couthie, F. r. G. S, in his lecture on
London degeneration, is inclined to deny
his existence
He wore pot hat, q short blsck sur
tout, with large, loose, check trousers
and drao-colored CATERS, and huge
stick-up collar, like that worn by q cele-
brsted statesman, and q respondent scar
let satin tie, with brilliant pin.
Now, the retired soapbOiler had that
morning, for the first time, seen himself
recorded in that respleDdent tome, "Fhe
County Families of the United KINGDOM"
as "Pugwash, Plantagenet, Esq,
of Stokencross Priory, son of the
late Pugwssh, E-q, OF Bsttersea, by
his wife, Angelina Wobbel; P D.L,
and magistrate for the county," and
swelling with the memory of all this, he
came upon "those fellows posching on
his lands"-his lsnds-he, man of fabu-
lous wealth, and ditto pedigree, as many
said.
"Look ERE, you fellows" he thunder
know whose property you're a-poaching
and a-trespassing oD?"
'P oschipg, sir?" exclaimed Reginald
Talbot, as his hollow cheek crimsoned
with anger, and he made an involuntary
start in his Wheel-chair.
eyes; especially this young william,
whom 1 knows of, and his cur. I'll have
it shot and send you both to jail. II not
for game, what was he, and tnat 'ere dog
d seeking under my edges? And as for
that wheel-cheir of yours, believe it is
all sham and only vehicle for carrying
OF game. Look at these rabbits"
"Rabbits are vermin; don't heed him,
said Dick scornfully. But his
brother writhed under the parvenu's in
furious remarks, which CALLED him more
than those OF his uncle had done.
"Who is this insolent fellow2" he asked
Dick.
"Fellow! I'd have you know, sir"
began the squire in laundering tone.
"Who the devil is hep" asked Reggie,
with something Of his quarterback
tone.
cold Pugwash, the soapboiler," replied
Dick, with grin; 'isn't the old hunks in
a wax?"
sis not this part of Ravensbourne Park,
sir?" asked Reggie controlling his wrath.
at is not-but my land-mine, sir!"
awe did not know, and thought the
path public one"
"It is private, as you will learn to your
cost if catch you here again."
"Here is my card" said Reggie, as his
thin hands trembled with uncomfortable
conviction Of his own utter
helplessness.
The esquire" glanced superciIiously at
the bit of pas.ebosrd and thrust it into his
waistcoat pocket.
"Rose Cottage" he muttered; "Lieu-
tenant R N.-well, lieutenant or not, you
aren't no gentleman, and l shall appeal
to the law after ALL" he added, bullying
more than ever.
He continued to buster and storm
with growing fury and vulgarity, using
many Injurious taunts and eplthets.
But Dick sharply wheeled away the
chair Of his brother, and both went of
with an air of contempt and dc fance; but,
for the former, ne ha not
1eard the last of Plantagenet Pugwash,
Esq justice of the peace and deputy |
lieutenant of the county.
CHAPTER 2LI.-RUN AWAY FROM HOME. |
When, about two hours after, Dick re-
urned home, he saw, with some alarm, q |
couple Of dead rsbbits-the same ldenti- |
al animals slain by Bingo-lying omi- |
lously on the table in the hall, and found |
hat his uncle had been the recipient of q |